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October 21, 1992, Page 00004 The New York Times Archives

A talking Barbie doll criticized by a national women's group for saying "math class is tough" will no longer utter the offending lament, Mattel Inc. has decided.

The Teen Talk Barbie, which costs about $25, will remain in stores. But the computer chip that randomly selects four phrases for each doll will now pick from 269 selections, not 270.

The American Association of University Women attacked the math comment in a report on how schools shortchange girls. The doll hit store shelves in July.

Mattel did not order a recall but began offering a swap for anyone who bought an offending doll, a company spokeswoman said.

In a letter to Sharon Schuster, president of the association, Mattel's president, Jill E. Barad, said the company made a mistake.

"In hindsight, the phrase 'math class is tough,' while correct for many students both male and female, should not have been included," she wrote. "We didn't fully consider the potentially negative implications of this phrase, nor were we aware of the findings of your organization's report."

A version of this article appears in print on October 21, 1992, on Page D00004 of the National edition with the headline: COMPANY NEWS: Mattel Says It Erred; Teen Talk Barbie Turns Silent on Math. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe